Ballon win hostile junior county final
Ballon are the 2026 TelLab Junior Football Champions. Photos: Aisling Hyland.
Ballon won an incredibly physical and hostile TelLab Junior Football Championship Final on Saturday afternoon, beating O'Hanrahans at SETU Carlow. The game was an ill-tempered affair, with Ballon running riot in a one-sided second half to secure the title.
Both sides were head and shoulders above the other junior teams this year, each winning their respective groups before comprehensive semi-final victories, with O'Hanrahans beating Bennekerry-Tinryland 3-11 to 0-2, while Ballon brushed aside St Brigid’s on a scoreline of 5-16 to 0-2.
The game presented an opportunity for both sides to claim their third junior crown, but ultimately it was Ballon who added to the titles they had previously won in 2011 and 2012.
O'Hanrahans began on the front foot, but they were penalised for an early breach which turned the ball over and gave Ballon field position. O'Hanrahans twice won the ball back, but they were unable to clear their lines either time. Ballon eventually wrestled back possession before finding Emer Deacon in space, who had all the time in the world to pick her spot and slot the ball past Lillie O'Sullivan for the opening score of the game after nine minutes.
O'Hanrahans hit back within three minutes with a goal of their own, working the ball to Erin Walker, who still had a lot to do before turning on the spot and firing her shot into the top corner.
Ballon were back in front midway through the half when Deacon and Lucy Kinsella combined to set up Joan Maher for the opening point of the game. Midfielder, Isabella O'Byrne charged through the heart of the O'Hanrahans defence moments later to raise a second white flag for Ballon.
O'Hanrahans needed the next score and it came in the 20th minute when Kate Murphy split the posts for the first time for her team.
O'Hanrahans were penalised for breaching again and while Ballon initially failed to punish the mistake, Stephen Kinsella's side got a second bite at the cherry a few moments later, with Lucy Kinsella pointing a free.
O'Hanrahans tested the Ballon defence twice after that and really should have had a second goal, with Kate Murphy driving her shot over the bar one-on-one with Marie O'Neill.
The incredible physicality of the first half was demonstrated by the seven minutes of injury time added at the end of the opening period, which came to an end with a brilliant score from Kinsella, extending Ballons's lead to two points at half time; 1-4 to 1-2.
Both sides had chances early in the second half, but it was O'Hanrahans who struck first, with Grace Walker pointing a free in the 37th minute. Ballon came hunting for a quick response and had to work hard for it before Kinsella landed a pair of close-range frees to make it a three-point game.
O'Hanrahans were their own worst enemies, with indiscipline and repeated back-chat to the referee costing them both possession and territory as they were marched towards their own goal time and time again midway through the second half.
Kinsella pointed her third consecutive free before a sweeping move from Ballon saw them play in Eimear Bolger, who fired a brilliant strike that rippled the O'Hanrahans net in the 48th minute.
The onslaught continued, with Joan Maher hand-passing over the bar to put eight points between the sides with just ten minutes remaining.
Tempers continued to boil over on the O'Hanrahans side, with Grace Walker sent to the sin bin for the remainder of the final. Ballon closed out the game with further scores from Kinsella (free) and two from Maher to solidify their victory.
L Kinsella 0-6 (6f), J Maher 0-4, E Deacon and E Bolger 1-0 each, I O'Byrne 0-1.
E Walker 1-0, K Murphy 0-2, G Walker 0-1 (f).
Marie O'Neill; Grace Kennedy Clare Kealy, Katie Kinsella; Lauren Byrne Becky Kelly, Roisin Connolly; Emma Cummins, Isabella O'Byrne; Joan Maher, Eimear Raleigh, Emer Deacon; Eimear Bolger, Lucy Kinsella, Anna Cullen.
Anna Maher for K Kinsella and Clodagh Hutton for Kennedy (both HT), Eva O'Byrne for Deacon (temp, 32-37), Sophia O'Byrne for C Kealy, Beth Lalor for Deacon and Eva Kealy for Bolger (all 56).
Lillie O'Sullivan; Sarah Donohue, Melanie Walker, Niamh Harris; Lucy Grogan, Natasha Sheehan, Holly Teppett; Saoirse Mauplin, Gwen Breasley; Brianna Williamson, Nikita Butler, Molly Maher; Erin Walker, Grace Walker, Kate Murphy.
Katie Sweeney for Williamson (22), Isabelle Teppett for Donohue and Laurianna De Sa for H Teppett (both 51), Lily Nolan for Maher (54).
